Well pump



R. DEMING Aug. 6, 1929.

WELL PUMP Filed Oct. 26, 1927 2 Sheets Sheet @GMA & M con a ttonwqs Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WELL PUMP.

Application filed October 26, 1927. Serial No. 228,768.

This invention relates to pumping means for drilled wells and more particularly to pumps for oil and gas wells in which gas under pressure is utilized'to discharge the liquid from the well. i

Quite frequently, it happens that 0 11 or gas Wells pass through a plurality of liquid or liquid and gas bearing strata, and it has heretofore been the practice either to pump the liquid from a plurality of strata through a single conduit or to block the flow to the casing from all but one of the strata.

The present invention has for ts ob ect to provide a means by which liquid or gas or liquid and gas can be separately drawn from strata at difi'erent levels and different pressures, thus avoiding a mixture of the liquids and gases flowing from the different strata and permitting the liquid. or gas or liquid and gas to be taken 1ndependently from each stratum at the rate which it naturally flows therefrom, thereby very materially increasing the production of the well and maintaining higher gas pres r sures where the pressure from one stratum might otherwise be fed back into a stratum of lower pressure and the ultimate pressure thus objectionably reduced with the loss of considerable gas.

A further object is to provide pumping means of the character above described which is of simple and practical construction and which can-be readily assembled in the bore of the well.

The following description and accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain means embodying the invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting bu one of the various mechanical forms in whiph the principle of the invention may beem ployed.

Reference should be had to the accom the connections with the liquid conducting pipes and the gas outlet pipes for the Well constructions shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a corresponding view of the upper end of the pump casing showing special coripections for use in a particular type of we Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing show a drilled well having bore 1 extending through the upper and lower strata 2 and 3 from which there is a flow of liquid or liquid and gas. Within the bore 1, there is an outer casing 4 of conventional character which fits within the bore of the well and extends downwardly therein past the upper stratum 2. This casing may embody several sections of different diameter as will be apparent to those skilled inthe art. The upper end of the casing 4 is closed by a cap 5 and within this casing there is an inner tubular casing 6 which is. of a diameter considerably less than that of the outer casing. The inner casing or well tubing 6 in the illustrated application of the invention, extends to the lowermost pay stratum substantially at the bottom of the well and some distance below the upper stratum 2. They lower end portions of, the casing 6 has a packer '7 disposed above the pay stratum 3 which seals the space between the inner casmg and the sides ofthe well so that liquid 0r gas issuing from overlying portions of the Well or from the underlying stratum cannot pass to stratum 3 and so that independent connection is'established by easing 6 with stratum 3. Casing 6 also has a second packer 8 arranged somewhat below stratum 2. This packer provides a seal between casing 4: and tubing 6. The packer 8 and the casing 6 substantially provide a seal in the well casing 4 below the pay stratum 2 and seal the overlying portions of the well from the underlying portions so that liquid and gas from one portion of the well do not interfere with the operation of other port-ions;

The portion of the outer casing l passing through the pay stratum 2 is perforated by a large number of openings 9 formed in the side wall of the casing through which liquid "or liquid and gas from stratum2 may flow to the interior of the, outer casing. The lower end portion of the tubing .6 that passes through the lower stratum 3 is provided with similar openings 10 through which liquid or liquid and gas from stratum 3 may flow to the interior of the inner casing 6.

The well casing 4 also has a suitable packer gas or gas and liquid from stratum 2 through the casing perforations 9. j

Cap 5, which closes the upper end of the outer casing 4 is provided with an opening in which is secured a short vertical pipe 13, which carries a gland at its upper end through which the inner casing 6 extends,

the gland forming a fluid tight seal around the exterior of the casing 6, so that gas cannot escape along the surface of the casing 6.

To the upper end of the casing 6, there is attached a fitting which has a lateral extension 16 to which is attached a gas outlet,

pipe 17 and through which extends a liquid conducting pipe 19, the fitting 15 is relatively small in cross sectional area as compared to the cross sectional area of the casing 6, the

pipe 19 extending from the upper end of the,

casing to adjacent the lower end thereof the bottom of the well.

Cap 5 at the upper end of the casing 4 is provided with a second opening in, which is secured a short pipe 20 which has fitting 21 at its upper end provided with a lateral extension 22 to Which is attached a gas outlet pipe 23. At its upper end, the fitting 21 is provided with a gland 24 through-which extends a liquid conducting pipe 25, which passes through the fitting 21 and pipe 20 into the casing 4 exterior-1y of the casing 6. The pipe 25 extends from the upper end of the casing to a point adjacent the packer 8 of the inner casing preferably below the upper stratum 2. v

The well tubing or inner casing 6, which is closed at its upper end except for the outlet 17 and at its lower end except for its openings 10, provides a chamber extending from adjacent the ground level to the lower stratum 3 so that the liquid and gas from the st'atum 3 may be extracted independently through the casing 6.

The space surrounding the tubing 6 above the packer 8 thereof is closed except for the gas outlet 23 at the upper end and the open-- ings 9 through which the liquid and gas may -flow from the stratum 2 into the interior-of the casing 4, thus providing a second chamber extending from adjacent the ground level to the upper stratum 2, through which liquids or liquids and gases may be extracted from the stratum 2 independently of the liquids or liquids and gases from the stratum 3.

The liquid pumping means of the present invention is preferably the same as that disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 198,496, filed June 13, 1927, patented Jan. 8, 1929, #1,697,856, in which there is disclosed means for utilizing the pressure of natural gases flowing together with liquid into the well casing for pumping the liquid out of the well. The pipe 19 is provided at intervals along its length with small apertures 26 in the wall thereof for admitting gas in fine streams to the interior of the pipe to provide a continuouslymoving stream of gas and dispersed particles of finely divided liquid having the characteristics of a gas. As more fully explained in the above mentioned application, these small apertures are so positioned along the length of the pipe that they serve to maintain the liquid in a state of extremely fine subdivision, so that they will be carried along with the current of gas whereby relatively small gas pressure is required to elevate the liquid. Flow of gas through the outlet pipe 17 may be controlled by a Valve 28 and the flow of gas with liquid particles in suspension through the pipe 19 may be controlled by a valve 29. If sufficient pressure is generated in the casing 6 by the gases issuing from the stratum 3, this pressure may be regulated by adjusting the valve 28 to regulate the escape of gas and by adjusting the valve 29 to regulate the pressure in the pipe 19. The pressures in the pipe 19 and within the casing 6 around the pipe 19 are preferably so adjusted that the liquid is discharged through the pipe 19 at substantially the rate at which it flows from the stratum 3. If the pressure generated by gases issuing from the stratum 3 is insufficient to elevate the liquid at the desired rate, the necessary difference in pressure between the interior pipe 19 and the space surrounding the pipe within the casing 6 may be produced either by applying suction to the pipe 19 to reduce the pressure therein or by introducing gas under pressure into the casing 6 through the pipe 17.

.The liquid is pumped from the chamber .lower portion of the casing 6, the pipe 25 being provided with small spaced openings 27 along the length thereof, corresponding to the openings 26 in the pipe 19, so that gas pressure in the outer chamber exteriorly of the pipe 25 serves to dispense the liquid particles in the gas stream and to thus carry the liquid in a finely divided state through the pipe 25. The gas outlet pipe 23 is preferably provided with a valve 30 by which the pressure within the outer casing may be regulated and the pipe 25 is preferably provided with a Valve 31 by means of which the pressure within the pipe 25 may be regulated. As in pumping the liquids from the Wells of widely different characteristics.

For instance, if the upper stratum produces liquid with very little gas, the liquid could be satisfactorily removed by connecting the pipe 23 into the line 17, as shown in Fig. 4:. This connection is made by pipe 34, valve and fitting 36. The pressure of gas fed into casing 4 through line 23 is regulated by l the valve 35, the valve 30 remaining closed.

In this waygas pressure from one stratum is used to elevate liquid from another stratum and only such pressure as is necessary to elevate the liquid from stratum 2 is used.

It will be apparent that the present inven tion provides a means for simultaneously pumping liquids from strata at different levels through the single well bore and for positively preventing unintentional mixture of the liquids and gases flowing from the different strata. Furthermore, it will be apparent that this invention provides a pump ing means by which the maximum flow of liquids or gases or liquids and gases may be obtained from each of the strata tapped by the well, thereby obtaining a maximum production of liquids and of gases.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a pump fora well having a bore I which intersects a plurality of liquid bear ing strata, casing members within the bore subdividing the same into separate chambers, each extending downwardly from adj acent the ground level and each having means for admitting liquid thereto from one ofthe liquid bearing strata, and means for pumping liquid from each of said chambers.

2. In a pump for a well having a bore which intersects a plurality of liquid hearing strata, casing members within the bore subdividing the same into separate chambers, each extending downwardly from adjacent the ground level and each having means for admitting liquid thereto from one of the liquid bearing strata, and means for independently conducting liquid and gas from.

each of said chambers.

' 3. In a pump for a well having a bore which intersects a pluralit of liquid bearing strata, casing members within the bore subdividing thesame into separate pressure chambers, each extending downwardly from adjacent the ground level and each having openings through which liquid may be ad mitted from one of the liquid bearing strata, and a pipe for conveying the liquid from each of said chambers, each pipe extending into the upper'end portion of one of the chambers and downwardlyv therein, each pipe being of a cross sectional area relatively small as compared to that of the pressure chamber into which it extends.

4. In a pump for a Well having a bore which intersects a plurality of liquid bearing strata, casing members within the bore subdividing the same into separate pressure chambers, each extending downwardly from adjacent the ground level and each having openings through which liquid may be ad mitted from one of the liquid bearing strata, and a pipe connected to the upper end of each pressure chamber for discharging gas from the chamber or admitting gas under pressure thereto.

I 5. In a pump for a well having a bore which intersects a plurality of liquid hearing strata, tubular casing members positioned one withinanother in the bore, said casing members being of different diameters and providing a plurality of chambers extending downwardly from adjacent the ground level, means for closing the upper ends of each of said chambers, means carried by an inner casing member for sealing the lower end of the chamber surrounding the same below one of said liquid bearing strata, means for admitting liquid to each chamber from one of the liquid bearing strata, and means associated with each chamber for pumping liquid therefrom.

6. In a pump for a well having a bore which intersects a plurality of liquid bearing strata, tubular casing members positioned one within another in the bore, said casing members being of dilferent diameters and providing a plurality of chambers ex tending downwardly from adjacent the ground level, means for closing the-upper ends of each of said chambers, means carried by an inner casi'ng member for sealing the lower end of the chamber surrounding the same below one of said liquid bearing strata, means for admitting liquid to each chamber from one of the liquid bearing strata, and a pipe extending into the upper end of each chamber to adjacent the bottom thereof for conducting liquid from the chamber, each pipe being relatively small in crpss section as compared to the cross sectional area of its chamber.

7. In a pump for a drilled well, the bore of which intersects a plurality of liquid bearing strata, an outer tubular casing fitting within the bore, an inner tubular casing of a diameter considerably smaller than the first which extends to adjacent the lowermost liquid bearing stratum, means for closing the upper end of the inner casing member, means at the upper end of the outer.

casing members for closing the space between the casing members, means carried by the inner casing member for sealing the space surrounding the samebelow the uppermost liquid bearing stratum, and independent means for pumping liquid from upper and lower strata including a pipe within the inner casing member and extending to adjacent the bottom of the well and a pipe .in the space between the inner and 5 outer casing members and extending from the upper end thereof toadjacent said sealing means.

8. A well having a bore which intersects a plurality of liquid bearing strata, and casing members within the bore subdividing the same into separate chambers, each extending downwardly from adjacent the ground level and each having means for admitting fluids thereto from one of the strata, and means for independently removing fluids from each of said chambers. v

9. A well having a bore which intersects a plurality of liquid bearing strata, casing ground level and each having means for admitting fluids thereto from one of the strata. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. ROBERT DEMING.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,723, 682.

Granted August 6, 1929, to

QROBERT DEMING.

It is hereby certified,that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, strike out lines 25 and 26, and insert instead "pipe 17 and through the fitting 15 extends a liquid conducting pipe 19, which is relatively"; and that'the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the the case in the Patent Office same may conform to the record of Signed and sealed this 10th day of September, A. n. 1929.

I (Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

